From homelessness to hope: UPDATE

Last year Xpress did an audio profile of Patrick Littlejohn, a formerly homeless composer who used music to overcome poverty. We are proud to report that the Practical Schillinger School of Music, an online composition school, has recently offered Patrick a full scholarship.

The school’s director, Philip DiTullio (an alumnus of Berklee College of Music), said that the school was “quite moved” and “inspired” by his story. Patrick will be studying rhythm engineering, pitch scales and harmonic engineering.

Patrick’s health, a major factor in his homelessness, has greatly improved. He has found a permanent home at Arrowhead Apartments in Asheville. With the help of Practical Schillinger School of Music, Patrick hopes “to write the most beautiful music ever heard and orchestrate it.”

We send Patrick our best wishes for health and harmony. To hear the original audio story, click on the sound waves below.

After a lifetime as a professional musician, Patrick Littlejohn found himself homeless, hungry and alone. A series of medical emergencies brought him to Blue Ridge Rehabilitation where he struggled with the facility’s old and out of tune piano. One night, Patrick says a song he’d never heard came to him in a dream. He had no choice but to teach himself to compose, all in an effort to pull himself out of poverty.

Patrick Littlejohn considers himself to be a non-denominational, yet highly spiritual person.
Photos of Patrick at the piano were taken at the home of Kim and Nathanael Roney.Photos by Rich Orris

About Jen Nathan Orris

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4 thoughts on “From homelessness to hope: UPDATE”

I am Patrick’s 1st cousin and we use to hang out togeather when we were kids. He was great playing the piano then and we played with a lot groups during that time. He got me into music when he taught me how to play drums. He was playing with a group called the Twisters. the drummer left the group to attend college and Pat ask me about playing drums for the group. I was pretty scared and nervious about it but he told me that I would do fine. Things worked out. Pat has always been great in music. When we were kids I use to sit and listen to him when he played the piano. I can go on and on about pat. He is a great musican and a great guy to know and work with.

People who read Mtn X. stories about local live music succeeding over crushing poverty and owning a passion for the honorable art of controlled noise persevering (aka good news)- not much for comments/views.

And…

Stories about breweries, new crepe and artisan cocktail bars with vegan singer-songwriter burlesque troupes who entertain on buses with juggling/yoga-infused movement extravaganzas for ill-behaved kids,

It has been my pleasure to perform with Pat in several bands since high school. He has been an instructor, arranger, and awesome performer. I am so proud of him for all he has accomplished and overcoming these obstacles. May a God continue to bless him.